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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Johnson to outline health future | Johnson to outline health future |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Health Secretary Alan Johnson will outline plans for a personalised NHS to the Labour conference - as election talk continues to dominate events. | Health Secretary Alan Johnson will outline plans for a personalised NHS to the Labour conference - as election talk continues to dominate events. |
| Mr Johnson told the BBC he wanted the NHS to be "clinically led, locally driven" and convenient for patients. | Mr Johnson told the BBC he wanted the NHS to be "clinically led, locally driven" and convenient for patients. |
| He is expected to flesh out promises to "deep clean" hospitals to combat bugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile. | He is expected to flesh out promises to "deep clean" hospitals to combat bugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile. |
| Speculation Prime Minister Gordon Brown may call an autumn poll has grown after his leader's speech on Monday. | Speculation Prime Minister Gordon Brown may call an autumn poll has grown after his leader's speech on Monday. |
| Mr Brown did not refer to the election talk during his speech, but in a series of media interviews he refused to rule out calling an early election. | Mr Brown did not refer to the election talk during his speech, but in a series of media interviews he refused to rule out calling an early election. |
| Patient power | Patient power |
| Whenever there is an election the health service is expected to be a key issue with all three main parties battling to make it "theirs". | Whenever there is an election the health service is expected to be a key issue with all three main parties battling to make it "theirs". |
| Mr Johnson is due to say more about proposals to urgently treat suspected breast cancer cases, expand colon cancer screening programmes, offer all adults health checks and boost patient power. | Mr Johnson is due to say more about proposals to urgently treat suspected breast cancer cases, expand colon cancer screening programmes, offer all adults health checks and boost patient power. |
| He is also expected to outline plans for a new regulator to check on standards in hospitals and close down wards if necessary, as well as proposals to giving personal safety alarms to hospital staff who need them to improve security. | |
| The health secretary's address follows Mr Brown's remark - which echoed comments once made by Margaret Thatcher - that patients should be able to see their doctor at the time they want, at the hospital or clinic they want, not at a time someone else wants. | The health secretary's address follows Mr Brown's remark - which echoed comments once made by Margaret Thatcher - that patients should be able to see their doctor at the time they want, at the hospital or clinic they want, not at a time someone else wants. |
| What we are trying to do is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall Alan Johnson At-a-glance: Conference picks | What we are trying to do is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall Alan Johnson At-a-glance: Conference picks |
| Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not want a "confrontational approach" with GPs, or to change the 2004 contract, but intended to work with GPs and the BMA to develop a "much more convenient service". | Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he did not want a "confrontational approach" with GPs, or to change the 2004 contract, but intended to work with GPs and the BMA to develop a "much more convenient service". |
| "The NHS was developed as a kind of monolithic organisation, it was a creature of its time, very centrally driven," said Mr Johnson. | "The NHS was developed as a kind of monolithic organisation, it was a creature of its time, very centrally driven," said Mr Johnson. |
| "That has changed, what we are trying to do ... is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall for their tablet of stone." | "That has changed, what we are trying to do ... is to get local practitioners looking out towards their patients rather than up towards Whitehall for their tablet of stone." |
| Iraq responsibilities | Iraq responsibilities |
| He said more people should be able to choose which GP they go to - but admitted there were problems in some areas with a shortage of practices. | He said more people should be able to choose which GP they go to - but admitted there were problems in some areas with a shortage of practices. |
| "What I want is to focus absolutely remorselessly on patient care - how we can improve patient care. And part of that is empowering patients to say I'm not getting good care with this GP I'll go to another GP," he said. | "What I want is to focus absolutely remorselessly on patient care - how we can improve patient care. And part of that is empowering patients to say I'm not getting good care with this GP I'll go to another GP," he said. |
| Asked if that meant GPs would have to compete against each other, he said: "In a sense, that's true but I don't think it would work on the basis of, you know, Tesco versus Asda. | |
| "It would be people who want a GP practice where they believe that the people running the practice are polite and hospitable and are welcoming, where they can an appointment ahead of time, where they fell the GP understands their particular needs." | |
| Later, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, in his conference address, is expected to reiterate the government's determination to fulfil its responsibilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Later, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, in his conference address, is expected to reiterate the government's determination to fulfil its responsibilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| He is also likely to echo Mr Brown's words that the focus in Iraq must now be on security, political reconciliation and economic reconstruction. | He is also likely to echo Mr Brown's words that the focus in Iraq must now be on security, political reconciliation and economic reconstruction. |
| But, with Mr Brown's big conference speech gone and three more days of the event to run, delegates are likely to examine all ministers' speeches for signs of any hints that election planning is under way. | But, with Mr Brown's big conference speech gone and three more days of the event to run, delegates are likely to examine all ministers' speeches for signs of any hints that election planning is under way. |